Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Big UK Plans Halted

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have paused their search for a second home in the U.K., according to a report by Express. Insiders said that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were looking for a place in England so that they could spend more time close to Prince Harry’s family. However, the latest development in their request for personal security makes them nervous to put down roots in the country.

“Harry really does want to spend more time in the U.K. but doesn’t feel comfortable doing that until the security issues have been ironed out,” an insider said. The British government downgraded security for Prince Harry, Markle and their children when the family left their official roles behind and moved to the U.S. They still get a minimal amount of personal security services whenever they visit the U.K., but they feel it is not enough.

Prince Harry filed a challenge in the High Court for more security in 2020, but it was dismissed back in June of last year. Just recently, the prince received permission to appeal that dismissal, and he plans to move forward. Sources close to him and Markle say they have decided to hold off on their house hunt until they determine whether they will get enough security.

“He and Meghan planned on looking for a part-time home near Windsor this year and hoped that the appeals process would be heard before the end of July so that they could properly start their search,” a source explained. “However, the court process seems to be taking its time.”

The High Court’s decision in 2020 said that Prince Harry and his family should receive a lesser amount of security since they had left their roles as working royals, noting that they weren’t providing those public services for British taxpayers. However, Prince Harry argued that they still required the same level of protection as the rest of his family. It’s worth noting that in his memoir Spare, Prince Harry claimed that Markle was never offered any duties as a working royal in the first place.

The High Court dismissed Prince Harry’s challenge in June, ruling that the original 2020 decision was lawful. Prince Harry was allowed to appeal, but the court denied his request to expedite the case. A Court of Appeal judge said that the prince wouldn’t be allowed to “jump the queue” or get other special treatment because of his station. It’s unclear how long the process may take now.

In the meantime, Prince Harry and Markle live in their full-time residence in Montecito, California with their son Prince Archie and daughter Princess Lilibet. It’s unsurprising that Prince Harry wants to spend more time in the U.K. as his father King Charles III and sister-in-law Kate Middleton are both undergoing cancer treatment. Right now, they have no permanent residence there to rely on.